Controlling Humidity in Your Home

5/1/2021 (Permalink)

Controlling Humidity in Your Cape May County or Cumberland County Home.

To prevent mold growth in humid climates, you need to control the humidity in your home.

Controlling humidity in wet climates poses a number of specific challenges – you can’t just open the windows to improve airflow in the home, for example (when outside humidity levels are high, letting outdoor air into your house will increase the indoor humidity).

So, how can you control moisture and prevent mold growth in humid climates?

1) Ensure Proper Air Conditioning:

Use quality air conditioning ("AC") units properly sized for your house. If your AC unit is too small, it will run constantly without achieving the desired effect; if it is too big, it will start and stop frequently which will make it difficult to maintain constant temperature and humidity levels;

Set your AC to about 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the hot summer months and keep your home warm in cool weather;

Set the AC fan mode to “auto”, not to “on”. When the fan is set to “on”, it runs continuously and does not allow enough time for the moisture that condenses onto the evaporator coil during the cooling cycle to drain off – it is re-evaporated and blown back into the house, increasing the humidity level;

Proper air conditioning can help you control the humidity in your home.

Close windows and doors when your AC unit is running. If the doors and windows are open, warm, humid outdoor air will enter your cooler home and cause condensation;

Maintain your air conditioner in excellent condition to make sure it works effectively. Clean and replace the filters every month during the summer, call a service professional at least once a year for maintenance, such as cleaning the coils, etc.

2)  Do Not Let Wet Items Stay Inside:

Dry washed clothes outside or use a clothes dryer (try not to hang clothes to dry inside). Make sure they are completely dry before putting them away in drawers and closets;

Do not leave wet towels or other wet items lying around in your home;

Take wet shoes off at the door and clean pets’ paws after walks to prevent water and mud from being tracked into your house;

Thoroughly dry your items before storing them inside, especially if they won’t be used for prolonged periods of time;

Add an appropriate anti-mold product to the water you give to your indoor plants to hinder mold growth in plant soil (moist soil is an ideal breeding ground for mold);

Remove standing water (such as puddles around sump pumps or hot water tanks) and dry wet areas within your home as soon as possible;

Vent appliances that produce moisture (such as clothes dryers, stoves, etc.) to the outside.

4) Prevent Water From Entering Your Home:

Keep your property in good repair – Inspect the roof and the chimney on a regular basis and make any necessary repairs without delay, repair foundation cracks, fix plumbing leaks, etc.;

Waterproof your home well. The better waterproofed your home is, the less likely you’re to deal with mold problems.

Keep the gutters clean – Replace damaged or rusty gutters and drainpipes in due time and make sure they are free of leaves and other debris to ensure proper water drainage;

Direct water away from your home. Make sure the grading around your house slopes away from the foundation – otherwise water may collect there and seep into your crawlspace;

Cover crawl space floors with plastic coverings to prevent groundwater from seeping inside;

Leak-proof doors and windows to prevent water seepage into your home during storms and torrential rains.

Controlling humidity in your home may not be very easy, but it will help prevent mold growth and any ensuing mold problems – mold health effects, mold damage to your property, etc. Your efforts will be rewarded with a healthy, mold-free living environment. It’s worth it!

Call your SERVPRO of Cape May County  and SERVPRO of Cumberland County Franchise Professionals at 609-624-0202, if you suspect mold in your home. We're a locally owned company in Ocean View, NJ serving Ocean City, Cape May, Wildwood, and surrounding communities in Cape May County. We also serve Vineland, Millville, Bridgeton and surrounding communities in Cumberland County.